posted 12-27-09 04:39 PM EDT (US)
I introduce the WildCard Semi! So what is the WildCard semi? Well, Dutch are very good at getting money. Let's put that to our advantage. The goal of this strategy will be to utilize the Mercantilism tech to our advantage. Imagine getting to Fortress with not one, but 4 shipments ready! This strategy is probably best used for Fortress wars. Generally you won't be harassed to hard early when it's fortress fighting, which will give you time to execute this well enough.
Nota Bene: Works better on the FP.
Let's get down to it:
What's great about this strat, is that you don't need a special deck to use. I use it perfectly fine with my standard 1v1 deck, shown below:
You'll be using pretty normal cards, and it will be pretty standard play, up till a certain point.
Gather your crates, send 3 vills to coin and the rest on food. Make a house from one of the wood crates. Age with 15 vills and 400w. Standard. During the transition, allocate your villagers on food and wood to gather the resources to build a bank. Once you have your bank, put 7 villagers on coin, 8 on food.
Once you've aged, send 700w. Use the 400w and the food your 8 vills have gathered to build another bank. Keep constant vill production, and gather 350 more food, after you've built your second bank. TC waypoint is on food. Once the 700w comes, build a 3rd bank, put up a rax (or a stable, it's up to you), and a church. And put all the wood you have left into houses (if you have any, from treasures or gathering). I said before that this is best for FF wars, so you shouldn't be be harassed, or very little. In case you are, use the rax to make skirms or pikes, use MM and careful building placement.
Your 3rd shipment is the Bank Wagon. This will give you your fourth bank.
Now, you'll be aging soon. With your food vills, and your banks, you'll get the resources necessary very soon. Age with the fast politician. STANDARD EH?
Now put all your vills on coin. 4 Banks, 22 vills on coin, that should get you 1500 coin relatively quickly. Research Mercantilism. BAM!
You are in Fortress, with a strong economy, and 4 shipments ready.
Now, it's up to you. For a stronger military mass early, I suggest sending all the Skirm and Ruiter cards. Make sure you have the housing though. That said, you can also send 1000w, for an early TC. Or maybe 4 vills, the church card, and skirms? Or...the infantry and/or cavalry combat cards?
Up to you! You have 4 shipments, use them wisely, you'll see.
Good luck and have fun, feel free to criticize, flame or ask questions. I'll try to get some recordings soon, if I can.
